We chat with author Kate Asher about Blood of Olympus, which is book two in an epic Greek mythology romantasy series for fans of The Games Gods Play and Blood of Hercules.
Hi, Kate! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m Kate, a millennial mother of two with a penchant for masking trauma through humour and lacing pop culture references into everything. I didn’t start writing until I hit age 30, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else. I once believed I’d be the next Hayley Williams, but instead, I get to use my voice in a different way.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Since I was a kid, but more so as I moved into my teenage years. Books were my refuge in a house that didn’t always feel like one. Some of my favourite traits were guided by the characters I read about from ages 12-17.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The first one I remember being obsessed with was Twilight.
- The one that made you want to become an author: There isn’t one clear winner here— though, the one that led me to make certain life choices that ended in authoring was Outlander.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Hunger Games.
Blood of Olympus is the second installment in the Hades Trials series and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Ooh, tricky!
When choices have deadly consequences.
For readers who haven’t picked up the first installment, Crown of Olympus, yet, what can readers expect?
Humour-laced trauma and gods who feel so much closer to humanity than you’d expect.
And for those who have, what’s to come in Blood of Olympus?
More.
More humour, more trauma, more chaos and questionable decisions. More twists, more questions, and another wonderful cliffhanger.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
I always say that these characters jumped into my brain fully formed. However, Aros surprised—he continued to demand more page time, eventuating in his own book—as did Poseidon. Traditionally, I’d always picked him as one of my favourite Greek gods, but boy did my own version of him come with a wealth of surprise! He’s one that readers love to hate.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing the sequel? How did you overcome them?
My personal life got very hectic suddenly during the writing of Blood, so I found it vastly more difficult finding pockets of time to dedicate to writing the actual manuscript. I’ve been able to pivot since that point, however, and have written a further 3.5 books since then!
What’s next for you?
The next thing I’m planning on publishing will be the sequel to Hunted, from my Blackwing Hearts series, and then Blade of Olympus, the third instalment in The Hades Trials! I’ve also been working on some sneaky 2028 secret projects.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed this year? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
Unfortunately, I don’t get to read as much as I used to however I read and ADORED The Shadows That Listen by Louisa Carmody, and will absolutely pick up its sequel whenever that comes out. And I will pick up anything Tate James puts down!
